Forbidden Feast

Ch. 17: I locked the door

For their big family, a game of telephone was the only way to share news. Mathew heard a lot of "he said" and "she said" over the years.

Then one day, Bianca said she found Nino.

Dante said Nino had a human boyfriend.

Anthony heard from Bianca the human was a Feast.

Mathew had never heard of a Feast before, so he questioned Dante about it. Dante was reluctant to tell him. He said Feasts were a fable that they didn't really exist. Anthony said he was wrong. Ben Robinson was a Feast. Feasts were everything Mathew wasn't. Their blood gave a vampire ultimate and long-lasting power. Everything that made a vampire weak, a Feast could make them strong.

No one mentioned the potential consequences of turning Ben into a vampire, but Mathew knew. And he had to warn his family before it was too late. 

Grant took something out of his pocket and chucked it to the ground. And a plume of lavender smoke imploded. Jace cursed.

"Wolfsbane," Jace spat. In a flash of light, Jace appeared again in his tattered clothes and exploded shoes. He picked up Mathew and sprinted towards the exit, then back into the school halls.

"What the-" a stray student said, jumping out of Jace's way. Jace kept running, and when their skin touched the outside world, Jace crumbled into the grass, letting Mathew go. He hacked up a lung off the side, trying to catch his breath.

"Jace," Mathew said his name, reaching out to him. He touched Jace's arm and Jace laid his hand on top. "I'm-" He coughed. "I'm fine."

Mathew gripped his arm harder, knowing it was a lie. Jace dropped to his side in the grass and narrowed his brow, focusing only on his breathing.

Mathew took out his phone and called Nino. He called again when Nino didn't answer the first time. And again, for the third time.

"What..." Jace climbed back up, using Mathew's arm, but dropping his head on Mathew's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I have to get in contact with my brother, Nino," Mathew said. "He can't turn Ben into a vampire. He can't."

"What? Why?"

Mathew didn't say. He called Dante next, and he didn't answer. When Mathew went to voicemail, he stopped. Mathew double checked the number. It was definitely Dante. Nothing could stop Dante from answering his phone calls. Something was going on at home. Mathew knew it.

He called his sister Bianca next and at least she answered immediately with, "Hello Mathew. I'm told you're avoiding Gia, and I don't understand why. Don't you want to come and visit? Gosh, everyone's gotten so rebellious—"

"Bianca," Mathew cut her off. "Where's Nino and Dante? Where's Ben? When is he planning to turn Ben? And why won't he answer my phone?"

"Mathew, slow down.  What's wrong?"

Mathew stood up first, helping Jace to his feet and letting the big wolf collapse against him. Jace put his arm over Mathew's shoulders.

"You can't let Dante change, Ben," Mathew raised his voice. "If he changes, Ben..." Mathew couldn't believe he was saying this out loud. "Ben will become like me. It'll kill Dante."

"That's..." Bianca peeped out the one word. She filled the silence with her thoughts. "How do you know that?"

"I just do. Believe me."

"I believe you."

"Where is everybody?" Mathew asked again, firmer as he put his phone on speaker. He requested a ride share for the airport to meet them at the front of the school. No time to locate Gia. They needed to go now.